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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

breech baby and elective section

40 replies

nixpix · 21/08/2008 22:04

I'm currently 38+4 today and found out today at my 39wk check that the baby has turned breech again. It had been transverse/breech all along until 37+4 when scan confirmed it had turned. I have polyhydramnios, although fluid levels are falling nicely they are still outside normal range for this time in the pregnancy.
I've been booked in for an elective C-section at 39+3, which I'm happy about. I dod not want an ECV.
My question is - if the baby turns back head down when I go in for pre-op check at 39+2, will the C-section be cancelled? can I insist on going ahead with section?
I can't bear the thought of getting all pysched up for this, arranging for my mum to come up and help with DS1 (who I didn't birth, this is my first birth) and DP to book time off work then be sent off to see if I go into labour naturally.
Does anyone have any experience of this?
Many thanks

OP posts:

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Aitch · 24/08/2008 21:35

gad. flex breech position. what is that? is that head up and baby's legs flexed? (like mine is?) gggrrrr.

MamaFormerlyKnownAsGlam · 25/08/2008 09:40

Something to do with whether the legs and feet are pressed up against teh side of the womb, I believe.

What helped me was thinking that everything was happening for a reason. I was meant to have a CS. Ant it was fine, more than fine.

Portofino · 25/08/2008 09:55

I was in exactly the same position - polyhydramnios and a transverse breech. I spent 2 weeks on the ante natal ward awaiting my el. cs. After a very sleepless night and nil by mouth, dd picked that moment to go head down. They told me I could go home. If I had insisted, they would still have gone ahead with cs, but advised me that it was much preferable/safer to await a natural birth.

I went home but have always regretted this - I was eventually induced and ended up with a emergency cs under GA. I was devastated to not be "there" for the birth of dd and I was so out of it afterwards I think it had long term affects on the bonding process and BF just never happened. Of course this is just my experience and I don't want to sound alarming, but if I could go back and do it again, I would have definitely stuck to the booked CS.

HeadFairy · 25/08/2008 10:12

Blimey Portofino, that sounds horrendous. I'm very firmly in the camp that sometimes a vag birth (or attempt at one) seriously f*s up the bonding process.

My ds wasn't flexed breech, he was footling, feet tickling my cervix (ouch!) so I guess that made turning him harder too, head tucked right under my ribs, and feet deep in my pelvis. He wasn't going anywhere! Funnily enough, once he was born he hated being held in a lying down/cradle hole position. He always preferred to lie with his head on my shoulder and his body upright even when he was tiny. I guess he just prefers having his head upright.

Portofino · 25/08/2008 11:15

I certainly remember the head under my ribs! It was lodged there for about 2 months and sitting was really uncomfortable. HeadFairy - I guess the process itself wasn't THAT horrendous - I did the normal labour bit for 12 hours (not that bad) and was just discussing an epidural for a potential CS as nothing was happening after a couple of hours of pushing when dd got distressed - the rest happened so quickly....and I was already off with the fairies...

I was just so disappointed not to be awake for the birth. DH told me he cried when dd was handed over, but I'm that I never saw the look on his face. Also I think he had been a bit frightened by the turn of events and was obviously worried about me and dd - so much so that he never wanted to talk about it afterwards. I did talk to the MW about it a few weeks later, but I think I kind of felt cheated of something.

HeadFairy · 25/08/2008 11:18

You poor thing and to think I felt cheated because I didn't see ds coming out (I was too squeamish to have the screen lowered and mw handed him to me cleaned and dressed)

runnervt · 25/08/2008 20:47

My ds was breech and when I went in for my elective section there was another woman with a breech section booked in before me. They checked her out and the baby wasn't breech anymore so she was sent home (I don't know how much choice she had in that though). I had the head in the ribs thing so I was fairly certain that ds was still breech although it was a bit disconcerting to think that I might get sent home too.

I also had two ECV attempts (which didn't work). I didn't find it that bad - manageable (compared to labour I'm sure).

Original poster

nixpix · 26/08/2008 08:20

I feel sure that this baby has turned as I feel something is in my pelvis that wasn't there before. I suppose it could be something other than a head though. I'm getting kicks more at the side too rather than down below. I'm v concerned that if this is the case and the C section is off, then it'll turn back again. I'm going in this morning for my pre-op scan, bloods etc so will find out then.
Will let you know what is said then.

OP posts:

Klaw · 26/08/2008 19:37

Well Nixpix?

BritinFrance · 27/08/2008 11:31

I was booked for an elective CS at 39 wks as DS2 was breech at 36 weeks, but at 37+5 went into labour naturally and DS2 was born bottom first, but with the cord wrapped twice round his neck (perhaps why he couldn't get head down). Had tried everything, from moxibustion to headstands in pool, but nothing worked and had finally accepted that if he was in that position it might be for a reason. Psychologically, though, it was difficult to get my head round an elective CS and had only just accepted this, when DS2 decided to come out under his own steam . Anyway, just to say that sometimes nature takes over and all those sleepless nights making decisions end up being for nothing!!!

Hersetta · 28/08/2008 15:18

I wasn't given an option. My DD was breech and I was booked for a cs at 39 weeks. She was still breech at pre-op appointment but when we turned up at the hospital 2 days later for the CS we discovered she turned head down. Where did we discover this? When I was laying on the operating table with DH all gowned up ready for the op - and they still wouldn't continue. Not sure you'll have a option to proceed with the CS - I certainly wasn't given one it was just you can go home now!

Original poster

nixpix · 29/08/2008 17:37

Well, here's what happened! On Tuesday I went for the pre-op appt and midwife confirmed that the baby was still breech by palpation. We then go home and get ready for the elective the next day. Fasting from midnight.
Get to the hospital at 8 and am told am no. 2 on the list. We wait and wait on the post natal ward, where I'd go after the section. I'm getting more and more thirsty and then told at midday that they've had lots of emergencies. That's fine. Eventually at 3 I get taken down to theatre. DP is all gowned up and I'm sat ready in the anaethetist's room. Quick scan and...,..
baby has turned head down!!! There was lots of movement whilst I was reclined on the bed on the ward, so am sure that's when it turned. They say they can't go ahead without me seeing the consultant, who was busy but would be with me shortly. So I hop off the table and go back to waiting room. Am soooo thirsty and hungry and v confused about what to do. Wondering, is this just not meant to happen and I should go home and deliver naturally. The consultant was lovely and said would respect my choice to go ahead with the section and that there were no guarantees that I wouldn't end up in an emergency CS scenario down the line anyway.
The polyhydramnios also meant the baby still had lots of room to turn again and measuring 48cm fundal height, I really had had enough and wanted the section. I couldn't bear constantly worrying if the baby was turning breech again every time I felt a movement and then panicking about going into labour/waters breaking with a breech baby.

Well, it was a lovely birth experience. The team were lovely and there was an informal friendly atmosphere in the theatre. The midwives were really good at meeting my requests to have skin to skin as soon as possible and start breastfeeding. It was calm, pain free and I was so excited to soon meet my baby. When they broke into the amniotic sac there was a waterfall effect and it spilt over onto the floor and apprently I had a huge umbilical cord.
Milo Edward was born at 6.24pm weighing 8lbs 12. He is gorgeous.
I have never tasted toast with butter so tasty as in the recovery ward! The starvation was the worst part. Milo fed immediately and hasn't stopped!
2 nights in hospital and I'm home, having been lucky to have experienced a fantastic birth. The care on the post natal ward was excellent and I can't believe my beautiful boy is here!

OP posts:

TheCrackFox · 29/08/2008 17:41

Congratulations!!

I had CS for DS1 (he was breech) and it was a brilliant experience.

Klaw · 30/08/2008 12:58

Congratulations Nixpix and welcome to Milo. Enjoy your babymoon!

MrsJamin · 30/08/2008 19:25

Yay what a great outcome! Fab name too. Brilliant that they let you continue with the CS even though strictly you didn't need one.

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